//------------------------------// // Don't Date Your Heroes // Story: The Sweet Taste of Apple // by Icecane //------------------------------// Landing on the soft surface that was Cloudsdale's cloud flooring, Rainbow Dash's ears perked up as she heard her name being called. On reflex, her head turned in the direction that it was coming from, seeing a familiar stallion with a windswept mane flying toward her. It was odd for the mare, seeing Soarin without any kind of attire that had to do with him being a Wonderbolt. Just seeing him, just as bare as she was, almost made her forget that he was indeed one of her most admired heroes. It also made her realize why she was now in Cloudsdale, meeting up with him just outside the restaurant they had agreed to visit. The sky above them both was still a wonderful blue, midday only just starting as the air around them was filled with many famished ponies all looking to get food into their bellies for their lunch hour. Their own place of choosing also received a few eager pegasai, passing the mare by as they headed in. “So,” Soarin started as he approached the cyan-coated pegasus, “you ready to go in?” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah,” she replied, smiling from ear to ear as trotted inside the restaurant alongside the Wonderbolt. It was a nice little eatery they had chosen. Basic was the best word to describe it. From the décor to the food itself, there was nothing related to extravagance that could be said about it. That was how many ponies liked it however, not going there for a five-star meal or anything. It was frequented mostly by those wanting a quick and delicious lunch, as Rainbow Dash knew full well. She had gone their many times herself years ago, back when she was still in flight camp. It was a much better alternative to eating the gruel that they served the students during lunch. Despite its modest appearances, the restaurant was quite sizable, allowing them to find a place to sit without difficulty. Their place of seating was just a circular table with a white tablecloth draped over it, as well as simple condiments set to the side. They didn't even have to wait very long before a young stallion approached their table, a smile of familiarity on his face as he eyed Rainbow's male companion. “Welcome back, Soarin,” he greeted. “What'll the two of you be having?” Without even looking at his menu, Soarin turned to the waiter and said, “I'll have the usual.” Both stallions soon had their eyes on Rainbow Dash as she looked over the menu, not quite sure what she was in the mood for. Ultimately, she decided and looked to the waiter, saying, “I guess I'll just have a fruit salad with a side of hay fries.” “Good choice,” the waiter nodded in approval, taking their menus before walking off. With only themselves to keep each other company, Soarin and Rainbow Dash exchanged happy smiles as a silence began to build between them. Rainbow was at a complete loss for words, staring at one of her idols, his eyes on her, just waiting for her to start up a conversation. Luckily for her, Soarin broke the ice, thinking of a good starting point that they knew they each had similar ground on. “So...” he begin, “you know Trader then?” “Oh, uh... yeah, sorta,” the mare responded, silently thanking Celestia that they finally began talking. “I don't know him too well, but he's a longtime friend of one of my friends, an earth pony named Applejack.” The name striking a familiar tone with him, Soarin paused as he thought on it, scratching his chin absently. “Ah, yes,” he then said. “She's that orange mare with the hat and ponytails.” He could recall seeing her at the Grand Galloping Gala as well as the royal wedding. “That's right,” Rainbow confirmed. “She runs the farm just outside of Ponyville. It's where Trader is working now.” Again, Soarin looked distant as he rubbed his chin in thought, muttering to himself, “She must be the one Spitfire was talking about...” The multicolored pony cocked an eyebrow in confusion as she questioned, “What was that?” Blinking forcibly, Soarin's mind came back to their table as he smiled awkwardly. “Oh, nothing,” he replied quickly. “But, Ponyville, huh? You know, I can't say I've ever actually been there. I've never had reason to before, and it's too small for us to be able to get any shows there.” “That's too bad,” Rainbow Dash murmured. “It's a nice enough place. Maybe you'll find reason to go there someday.” “I just might,” Soarin returned with a growing smile directed at the mare, causing her to blush slightly. Thankfully, Rainbow Dash didn't have to feel the warmth on her cheeks for long, their food arriving for them at that moment. The cyan pegasus couldn't help but lick her lips as she looked at the variety of juicy slices of fruit set up for her fruit salad. Making it even better, a piping hot, freshly made piles of hay fries were just waiting for her to start eating. However, her eager smile soon vanished as she looked up at Soarin's chosen meal. There was only a single thing placed before him, a whole pie with the fluffiest crust she had seen and smelled strongly of cooked apples. Soarin just looked down at the dessert hungrily, having a similar expression that Rainbow Dash had for her own food. Confusion hit the mare as she tilted her head slightly, unable to wrap her mind around it. “You ordered a... pie?” the mare asked. “Of course,” Soarin replied, not noticing how odd his company thought it was. “This place makes some of the best pies around, I wouldn't miss a chance to have another.” Mouth nearly watering from the anticipation, the Wonderbolt looked up at Rainbow with excitement written on his face. “Alright then, let's dig in.” Without warning, the stallion stuck his entire mouth into the pie, not even bothering to eat it slice by slice. Bits of crumbs and globs of sauce spilled over the edge of the pie tin as Soarin began to lap up as much as he could. Using his tongue like a shovel, he scooped up large amounts of the delectable treat, nearly licking that portion of the tin clean before moving to another unsuspecting part of the pie. Rainbow Dash could only look at the scene with utter shock. It was like watching a horrific, bloody accident, the mare not wanting to watch it any further, but unable to tear her eyes away. Her own meal was left forlorn, her appetite clearly lost as Soarin's own indulgence was too much for her. Even worse, the stallion was by no means quiet in his enjoyment of his pie. As though he were doing it on purpose, loud, wet smacking sounds came from him as he lapped up every bit of pie he could. Moans of blissful pleasure escaped him as he savored every taste that graced his tongue. The other pony patrons began to glance over toward them, causing Rainbow Dash to shrink down in her seat, as if to hide herself. One pair of onlookers didn't notice what the stallion was doing, nor the mare he happened to be with. Rather, they noticed who the stallion was. It was what surprised the rainbow-manned mare as an excited, bubbly voice spoke up right next to them. Slightly getting over her embarrassment, the pegasus looked to the source and saw two mares sporting gleefully astounded smiles on their faces. “Like, oh my Celestia!” one of them squealed, looking like she might burst at any moment. “I can't believe it, it's actually Soarin of the Wonderbolts!” “Yeah, it's really him!” said the mare's friend, with an equal amount of enthusiasm. At the delighted shouts of the two mares, Soarin resurfaced from his confection expedition, crumbs and sauce covering the end of his muzzle. Chuckling lightly, he carefully wiped his face off and greeted the two fans warmly. “Well, pleasure, to meet you two,” he said kind, making both mares squeal again at his acknowledgment of their existence. “Oh, Soarin, we're both such huge fans!” the first mare said, unable to stand still as she looked only seconds away from jumping around like a madmare. “I didn't think we'd run into a Wonderbolt on our way to lunch!” the other mare said, still matching her friend's attitude. Holding up a camera, she looked at the stallion with a hopefully gaze. “Would you mind if we had a picture? Our friends would just die if they knew we ran into you today!” A low growl escaped Rainbow Dash as she glared daggers at the fawning mares. She was already about to answer for Soarin, to get it through their clearly thick skulls that he was busy. But before she could say anything, her stallion companion was already nodding his head, saying, “Of course, I'm always happy to meet fans.” All the cyan pegasus could do was stare at him as he began to pose with the two intrusive guests, not even a passing glance given in her general direction. She was completely forgotten about, as though she didn't even exist. While the white flash of the camera continued to go off, the happy giggles of the two mares with their idol shortly following it, Rainbow Dash just sat at her table, tapping her hoof against it in her growing indignation. A groan of a sigh escaped Trader as he trudged through Ponyville, having filled his saddlebag with the last item he needed to get. To say it had been a difficult day for the stallion would have been an understatement. Besides his head throbbing from the nighttime events yesterday, slowing his work down considerably, there was also a dreaded feeling clawing at the back of his mind. Preoccupying his mind for the entire day was what happened that night, Applejack's sudden change as she nearly drowned herself in her family's “secret recipe.” “It was nothing,” the pegasus told himself. “That was just the drink talking, nothing more.” It was clear enough that he was right in that statement, but it didn't stop him from dwelling on it. One thing was for certain however. There was no way he'd be around Applejack if such a predicament arose again. He didn't want to put his friend in a situation like that, nor be in it himself. “That's how you lost your job as a cherry sorter back in Dodge Junction,” Trader again mumbled to himself. “Though it's not like an old friend was your employer... Just an old mare with boundary issues who liked to dip into the spirits every now and then.” He shuddered as old memories of one of his least favorite career excursions resurfaced. “Let's try not to think about that...” Soon enough, Trader noticed the sun beginning to set. The sky slowly became less blue, shops were starting to close and ponies made their way back to their homes. All the pegasus wanted to do now was find Applejack so they could get back to the farm. If they didn't need him for anything else, he'd go straight for the comforting embrace of his bed. He wasn't quite sure where his hat wearing friend was however. Looking about, there was no sign of her nearby. Though they had no set destination to meet up, he didn't think it would be too hard to run into her once he was done. But figuring she would do the same herself, the stallion opted to simply head back to the farm himself. Searching for the nearest possible route, he saw a large alleyway between two shops that he could easily cut through. The alley was mostly empty, only having a few crates, old boxes and a few trashcans set up by whoever ran owned the buildings that made it up. Halfway through, Trader felt an odd stiffness in his wings. Of course, it wasn't too abnormal for him, as he didn't use his feathered appendages as often as the average pegasus. It was a simple enough fix for him to unfurl his wings and give them a good stretch though. But, as he did so, he was shocked as he found out he couldn't. A mix of confusion and haunting surprise crossed him as he tried with all of his might to open his wings, but they remained shut against his sides, as though they were glued to him. Looking at his side, the stallion's eyes widened as he saw a light-blue magical aura wrapping around them, keeping his wings completely immobilized. As panic slowly made its way to the stallion, he took off down the alley, seeing the other side just ahead. Galloping as fast as he could, he was almost near the end. His heart lurched as he came to a sudden stop, the exit he was aiming for becoming blocked by a burly, brick wall of a stallion, nearly twice the size as the pegasus. Slowly, he made his way toward the white-coated pony, causing the fearful Trader to turn around and bolt in the direction he had just come from. He only made it a few feet before he stopped once again. Another pony had entered the alley, a surly looking unicorn whose horn glowed with the same light-blue aura that encompassed his wings. The heavy hoofsteps of the large stallion could be heard behind him as both ponies closed in on the pegasus. Trader was pinned down, with no escape for him to be seen with both of his way outs blocked and his wings made useless by the unicorn's magic. But Trader was never one to give up easily. Just as the stallion behind him neared, Trader's determined eyes focused on his actions as he leaned forward, bringing his legs up and kicking out sharply, just like when he's apple bucking. Not too long ago, such a kick from the pegasus wouldn't have amounted to much. Thanks to his time on the farm however, his legs had gotten much stronger, made apparent as his back hooves made contact with the surprised stallion. With a loud crack, he was knocked off his hooves and thrown to the hard ground. Taking the opportunity, Trader once again ran in the now open direction, running past the stallion he had just attacked with his eyes set on the exit. Sadly, just like last time, he did not make it far. Like a pair of invisible arms, a strong force wrapped itself around the pegasus' midsection. Trader barely had time to react as he was suddenly levitated into the air and thrown into the nearby wall with a mighty force. The building nearly shook from by strength of the impact, nearly causing Trader to black out as the magical hold on him suddenly vanished, causing him to collapse onto the ground. By the time the disoriented stallion regained his senses, he felt a heavy weight being pushed on him. The burly stallion kept him pinned down, gazing down on the pegasus with a furious rage that couldn't be described. Trader could easily see the reason as well, the stallion's nose and mouth now a bloody mess from what he had done to him. As an act of retaliation, the stallion smashed one of his muscled hooves hard across Trader's face, nearly fracturing his skull. Despite his situation, being pinned down by a pony who outmatched him by both size and strength, with a unicorn just waiting for him to try and get away, Trader still showed defiance as he squirmed under his attacker's hold on him. Growing frustrated, the burly stallion raised his hoof to strike the pegasus once again. But he stopped mid-swing, halted as a creature suddenly landed before them with a powerful thud. It was a griffon, his long wings folding at his sides, his feline tail swishing slightly behind him, his sharp talons digging into the ground. Everything fell silent at his appearance, the air itself growing still. A delighted grin spread across his beaked face as his piercing gaze locked onto the downed pegasus. Trader was paralyzed, not by the stallion who was holding him, not by the unicorn's magic, but by his own fear. “Y-you...” his shaking voice managed to say, his wide eyes unable to look away from the familiar griffon while a look of pure horror etched itself onto his face.